Joanne Harrison, architect and heritage consultant, will trace the development of back-to-back house building in Leeds, outlining the origin of the house type, before examining the urban layout, building form and social aspects of back-to-back courts in the first half of the 19th century, and the role of speculative developers, building societies and sanitary reformers. She will touch on the bills, acts and by-laws of the later 19th and early 20th century, and the determination of the people of Leeds to retain their preferred house type. Together, these brought improvements to the design and facilities, culminating in a house type that was far superior to its reputation and it arguably overcame all of the criticisms of back-to-backs by the time their construction was prohibited in 1909. Finally, she will explore the the houses as they stand today in the Harehills area of Leeds.
Joanne Harrison of Harrison Architectural Heritage is an architect, consultant and researcher who specialises in historic buildings and heritage conservation. Her PhD 'Back-to-back houses and their communities in 21st century Leeds' focuses on the heritage significance of the neighbourhood and houses, taking account of historical, architectural and communal values. Over the years, Joanne has been involved in various committee and voluntary professional roles for organisations including Leeds Society of Architects, Wakefield Civic Society, Wakefield Historical Society, Heritage Open Days and English Heritage.
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